Nepal parties get five more days to end deadlock

Nepal President Ram Baran Yadav on Tuesday gave parties more time to form an ‘unity’ government after they failed to reach consensus within the deadline that expired a day earlier.

A statement issued by the President’s office informed that Yadav has given the parties five more days till December 22 to select through consensus a prime minister to head the national unity government.

“As the parties requested the President for another extension of the deadline he agreed to give them some more time to end the ongoing stalemate,” informed Rajendra Dahal, media advisor to the President.

This is the fifth deadline given by Yadav to all parties to form a ‘unity’ government that will hold fresh elections after the present Maoist-Madhesi coalition failed to hold elections within November 22.

Yadav is set to leave for India for a five-day visit on December 24 and reports say he had urged parties to arrive at a consensus before his departure. The President's office however stated that no such request was made from Yadav's side.

Nepal’s political parties are at loggerheads over power sharing since May when the country’s Constituent Assembly was dissolved.

While opposition parties are demanding Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai’s removal as pre-condition for formation of the ‘unity’ government, the government has refused to oblige.